2011 BUICK LACROSSE child restraint

Black plate (54,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
3-54 Seats and Restraints
Lower Anchor and Top Tether
Anchor Locations
Rear Seat
i(Top Tether Anchor):Seating
positions with top tether anchors.
j(Lower Anchor): Seating
positions with two lower anchors.
To assist you in locating the
lower anchors, each rear anchor
position has a label, near the crease
between the seatback and the seat
cushion.
To assist you in locating the top
tether anchors, the top tether anchor
symbol is located on the cover.
The top tether anchors are located
under the covers, behind the rear
seat, on the filler panel. Be sure to
use an anchor located on the same
side of the vehicle as the seating
position where the child restraint
will be placed.

Black plate (55,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-55
Do not secure a child restraint in a
position without a top tether anchor
if a national or local law requires
that the top tether be attached, or if
the instructions that come with the
child restraint say that the top tether
must be attached.
According to accident statistics,
children and infants are safer
when properly restrained in a child
restraint system or infant restraint
system secured in a rear seating
position. SeeWhere to Put the
Restraint on page 3‑51 for
additional information.Securing a Child Restraint
Designed for the LATCH
System
{WARNING
If a LATCH-type child restraint is
not attached to anchors, the child
restraint will not be able to protect
the child correctly. In a crash, the
child could be seriously injured
or killed. Install a LATCH-type
child restraint properly using the
anchors, or use the vehicle safety
belts to secure the restraint,
following the instructions that
came with the child restraint and
the instructions in this manual.
{WARNING
Do not attach more than one
child restraint to a single anchor.
Attaching more than one child
restraint to a single anchor could
cause the anchor or attachment
to come loose or even break
during a crash. A child or others
could be injured. To reduce the
risk of serious or fatal injuries
during a crash, attach only one
child restraint per anchor.

Black plate (56,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
3-56 Seats and Restraints
{WARNING
Children can be seriously injured
or strangled if a shoulder belt
is wrapped around their neck
and the safety belt continues to
tighten. Buckle any unused safety
belts behind the child restraint
so children cannot reach them.
Pull the shoulder belt all the way
out of the retractor to set the lock,
if the vehicle has one, after the
child restraint has been installed.
Notice: Do not let the LATCH
attachments rub against the
vehicle’ s safety belts. This may
damage these parts. If necessary,
move buckled safety belts to
avoid rubbing the LATCH
attachments. Do not fold the empty rear
seat with a safety belt buckled.
This could damage the safety
belt or the seat. Unbuckle and
return the safety belt to its
stowed position, before folding
the seat.
If you need to secure more than
one child restraint in the rear seat,
see
Where to Put the Restraint on
page 3‑51.
You cannot secure three child
restraints using the LATCH anchors
in the rear seat at the same time,
but you can install two of them.
If you want to do this, install
one LATCH child restraint in
the passenger-side position, and
install the other one either in the
driver-side position or in the center
position. If you need to install child
restraints in both the center and
driver‐side position, the one in the
center seating position will need to
be secured using the vehicle safety
belts instead of the LATCH anchors. Refer to the following illustration to
learn which anchors to use.
A. Passenger Side Rear
Seating Position and Lower
Anchors 1 and 2
B. Center Rear Seating Position and Lower Anchors 3 and 4
C. Driver Side Rear Seating Position and Lower
Anchors 4 and 5

Black plate (57,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-57
There are five lower LATCH anchors
in the rear seat.
.Use anchors 1 and 2 when
installing a child restraint using
LATCH in seating position A.
.Use anchors 3 and 4 when
installing a child restraint using
LATCH in seating position B.
.Use anchors 4 and 5 when
installing a child restraint using
LATCH in seating position C.
Installing child restraints using
LATCH in seating positions B and C
at the same time is prohibited.
Make sure to attach the child
restraint at the proper anchor
location. This system is designed to make
installation of child restraints easier.
When using lower anchors, do
not use the vehicle's safety belts.
Instead use the vehicle's anchors
and child restraint attachments
to secure the restraints. Some
restraints also use another vehicle
anchor to secure a top tether.
1. Attach and tighten the
lower attachments to the
lower anchors. If the child
restraint does not have lower
attachments or the desired
seating position does not have
lower anchors, secure the child
restraint with the top tether and
the safety belts. Refer to the
child restraint manufacturer
instructions and the instructions
in this manual.
1.1. Find the lower anchors for the desired seating
position. 1.2. Put the child restraint on
the seat.
If the head restraint
interferes with the proper
installation of the child
restraint, the head restraint
may be removed. See
“Head Restraint Removal
and Reinstallation” at the
end of this section.
1.3. Attach and tighten the lower attachments on the child
restraint to the lower
anchors.
2. If the child restraint manufacturer recommends that the top tether
be attached, attach and tighten
the top tether to the top tether
anchor, if equipped. Refer to the
child restraint instructions and
the following steps:
2.1. Find the top tether anchor.
Open the cover to expose
the anchor.

Black plate (58,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
3-58 Seats and Restraints
2.2. Route, attach, and tightenthe top tether according
to the child restraint
instructions and the
following instructions:
.If the position you are using
does not have a headrest
or head restraint, or the
headrest or head restraint
has been removed, and you
are using a single tether,
route the tether over the
seatback.
.If the position you are using
does not have a headrest
or head restraint, or the
headrest or head restraint
has been removed, and
you are using a dual tether,
route the tether over the
seatback..If the position you are
using has an adjustable
headrest or head restraint
and you are using a single
tether, route the tether
under the headrest or head
restraint and in between the
headrest or head restraint
posts. See Head Restraints
on page 3‑2.

Black plate (59,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-59
.If the position you are using
has an adjustable headrest
or head restraint and you
are using a dual tether
route the tether around the
headrest or head restraint.
3. Before placing a child in the child restraint, make sure it is
securely held in place. To check,
grasp the child restraint at the
LATCH path and attempt to
move it side to side and back
and forth. There should be
no more than 2.5 cm (1 in)
of movement, for proper
installation.
Head Restraint Removal and
Reinstallation
The rear outboard head restraints
can be removed if they interfere with
the proper installation of the child
restraint.
To remove the head restraint:
1. Partially fold the seatbackforward. See Rear Seats on
page 3‑11 for additional
information.
2. Press both buttons on the head restraint posts at the same
time, and pull up on the head
restraint.

Black plate (60,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
3-60 Seats and Restraints
3. Store the head restraint in thetrunk of the vehicle.
4. When the child restraint is removed, reinstall the head
restraint before the seating
position is used.
{WARNING
With head restraints that are
not installed and adjusted
properly, there is a greater
chance that occupants will suffer
a neck/spinal injury in a crash.
Do not drive until the head
restraints for all occupants are
installed and adjusted properly. To reinstall the head restraint:
1. Insert the head restraint posts
into the holes in the top of the
seatback. The notches (A) on
the posts must face the driver
side of the vehicle. 2. Push the head restraint down.
If necessary, press the height
adjustment release button to
further lower the head restraint.
See Head Restraints on
page 3‑2.
3. Try to move the head restraint to make sure that it is locked in
place.

Black plate (61,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-61
Replacing LATCH System
Parts After a Crash
{WARNING
A crash can damage the
LATCH system in the vehicle.
A damaged LATCH system may
not properly secure the child
restraint, resulting in serious
injury or even death in a crash.
To help make sure the LATCH
system is working properly after
a crash, see your dealer to have
the system inspected and any
necessary replacements made
as soon as possible.
If the vehicle has the LATCH system
and it was being used during a
crash, new LATCH system parts
may be needed.
New parts and repairs may be
necessary even if the LATCH
system was not being used at
the time of the crash.
Securing Child Restraints
(Rear Seat)
When securing a child restraint in
a rear seating position, study the
instructions that came with the
child restraint to make sure it is
compatible with this vehicle.
If the child restraint has the
LATCH system, see Lower Anchors
and Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) on page 3‑52 for how and
where to install the child restraint
using LATCH. If a child restraint
is secured in the vehicle using a
safety belt and it uses a top tether,
see Lower Anchors and Tethers
for Children (LATCH System) on
page 3‑52 for top tether anchor
locations.
Do not secure a child seat in a
position without a top tether anchor
if a national or local law requires
that the top tether be anchored,
or if the instructions that come
with the child restraint say that
the top strap must be anchored. If the child restraint does not have
the LATCH system, you will be
using the safety belt to secure
the child restraint in this position.
Be sure to follow the instructions
that came with the child restraint.
Secure the child in the child restraint
when and as the instructions say.
If more than one child restraint
needs to be installed in the rear
seat, be sure to read
Where to Put
the Restraint on page 3‑51.
1. Put the child restraint on the seat.
If the head restraint interferes
with the proper installation
of the child restraint, the head
restraint may be removed.
See “Head Restraint Removal
and Reinstallation” under
Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) on
page 3‑52.